The REY Blog

Transform Your Apartment into a Smart Home with These Products

Do you remember the 1999 Disney Channel Original Movie Smart House? It was about a boy who won a computerized dream home complete with virtual assistant, PAT. Sure, PAT went a little crazy, what with the falling in love with the boy’s father and trying to destroy his dating life and all, but she did pave the way for Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa.

Once considered a reach, smart homes are no longer the future, they’re here and more accessible than ever. Transforming your apartment at The REY into a smart home is both easy and relatively affordable. Google, Amazon, and Philips are leading the way with products you can control from your phone, with your voice, or directly out of the box.

Here are three ways you can make your home smarter today:

Best Smart Home Technology

Amazon Echo - $179.99

Although it is the most expensive option on our list, Amazon Echo is worth every penny. With advanced, voice-controlled capabilities, this device:

Plays music from Amazon Music, Apple Music, Pandora, iHeartRadio, and more

Features far-field voice recognition, even when music is playing

Can search the web for answers to your questions re: traffic, weather, news, sports scores, and much more

Is compatible with WeMo, Philips Hue, SamSung Smart Things, Nest, and other smart home devices

What really makes Amazon Echo special though is that it is constantly learning and evolving to provide you the best possible service.

Google Home - $129

Similar to Amazon Echo, Google Home is another voice-controlled speaker designed to make your life easier. Google Assistant will not only answer your questions, it will also:

Communicate and control other smart devices in your home, including Spotify, Nest, Pandora, YouTube, Philips Hue, and more

Sync with your entire suite of Google products like Google Calendar, Google Play Music, and Chromecast

Features natural language processing to better understand you and your needs

Includes a customizable base for seamless integration into your apartment at The REY

One of the most attractive features of Google Home however, is the easy setup. All you have to do is connect the power cable, plug the power adapter into the wall, and then download the Google Home app to your phone or tablet.

Philips Hue Wireless Dimming Kit - $34.99

Compatible with both Amazon Play and Google Home, Philips Hue Wireless Dimming Kit gives you greater control over the lighting in your home. Included in the kit are one white Hue bulb and a wireless, place-anywhere switch capable of controlling up to 10 different Hue bulbs. Purchase the Philips Hue Bridge for even greater reach or upgrade to a Philips Hue Ambiance Starter Kit for even more color options.

Want to learn more about easy smart home upgrades? Speak with a member of The REY’s friendly leasing staff. If we can’t answer your questions, we’ll be happy to set you up with someone who can.